Ole Miss Opportunity Program

The University of Mississippi is committed to providing access to quality education for students from all backgrounds. Through our Ole Miss Opportunity program, the University guarantees that eligible Mississippi resident students will receive financial aid support to cover the average cost of tuition, residence hall housing, and an allowance for meals. This program will fill the gap in funding after all federal, state, institutional, and private scholarships and grants awarded to the student have been considered.

Program Eligibility:
To be eligible for Ole Miss Opportunity in 2019-20, you must be a Mississippi resident, U.S. citizen, an entering freshman at the start of the Fall 2019 semester, seeking a degree and enrolled full time at Ole Miss. In addition, you must meet the following criteria:

Family adjusted gross income on the 2017 federal tax return must be at or below $32,500

After Ole Miss Opportunity has considered all federal, state, institutional, and private scholarships and grants awarded to you, it will fill the gap in funding and cover:

Fall and spring semester base tuition rates for a full-time Mississippi resident student (up to 19 hours each term). The additional tuition charge for pharmacy majors is not included

Housing in a university residence hall (up to the standard double-occupancy rate)

Meals through the University, equivalent to the cost of the “Rebel Unlimited” meal plan for fall and spring, plus $250 flex (food) funds each semester

Each student will be responsible for paying book, transportation and personal expenses. There also may be charges for special fees (i.e., study abroad or extra course fees), summer classes or intersession terms. Because Ole Miss Opportunity does not provide funding for these remaining costs, students can meet them through savings, other family resources, a Federal Work-Study job, or loans. The Office of Financial Aid will be happy to assist students with identifying additional funding sources for these expenses.
The amount of the Ole Miss Opportunity award may be reduced if the student’s financial need changes and/or if the student receives subsequent, additional gift aid (scholarships and/or grants).

Renewal Requirements:
Ole Miss Opportunity funding will be provided for eight regular semesters of attendance at The University of Mississippi (or until completion of the first baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first) as long as these eligibility requirements continue to be met:

Annual renewal of the FAFSA by March 31 is required, and students must continue to demonstrate financial need each year

Students must maintain a 2.0 resident GPA

Students must remain full time and continuously enrolled

The level of funding is contingent upon the student living on campus.

Students must live in University-owned housing for their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years in order to get the full OMO benefits.

If students elect to move off-campus, the total amount of grants and scholarships they can receive from ALL sources will be capped at the amount of base tuition.

If students elect to live in University housing, they may receive the maximum grant/scholarship package. This number is updated annually for base tuition, housing, and meals. Since the housing rate in a traditional residence hall is accommodated in the OMO calculation, it will be the most affordable option. If OMO recipients choose more expensive housing, they must plan for the extra expense.

Additional Questions:
If you have any further questions, please email us at finaid@olemiss.edu or call 1-800-891-4596.